Restricted Free Agents: Sign Away now, or wait and trade for them later? Following up on: Jared Gaither?

Hey guys, I've been taking in the free agency signings and thinking about how the restricted free agent market is going to play out.  This is my take.

First, Jerry always has said that around draft time picks get overvalued and players undervalued.  While I don't generally agree with Jerry the GM, I do agree with him on this point.  That means that we will get better value for our draft picks if we wait.  Also, I think for the most part teams tend to apply higher tenders to players than where the player actually grades out.  Following this logic, assuming the team is actually willing to part with the player for the right price, the price to get him probably comes down if we wait.

I recently posted that Jared Gaither OT BAL might be an interesting possibility for us in the restricted free agent market.  I think many of us concluded that it was something worth looking into.  I'm starting to feel like waiting and if we decide we want him, trying to trade for him after the restricted free agency period is over (Raf also suggested something like this in the Jared Gaither? thread, and Raf is wise), if

1. No team tries to sign Jared Gaither for the first round compensation he is currently tendered at.  Obviously, if a team does try and sign Jared Gaither, then we would need to try and sign him also if we wanted him.  If BAL met the offer of this team (or ours if we offered), then it is doubtful we would've been able to sign him away anyways.

2. He is not a part of BAL long term plans (we don't know but here a few possible reasons why he may not be: the development of Michael Oher, the fact that he was tendered only a first round selection, Gaither will want to be paid Left Tackle money next offseason, but Oher can play left tackle and will eventually want that money too ).  If this is the case then, BAL will want to get something in return for him.

If both 1 happens and 2 is correct, then I think the asking price on Gaither would come down.  Look how the Anquan Boldin situation panned out, the Cardinals definitely got less for him by asking too much for him in the first place and holding out for it only to part with him for less later.  I'm not saying these situations are parallel, I'm merely suggesting that if 1 and 2 happen the Cowboys would have some leverage to bring the asking price down. 

I know that some of us would be willing to part with our first rounder for him or another restricted free agent, but why give up our first rounder if we don't need to and before we need to.  We don't have to make what would essentially be trading our first for Gaither  until we are on the clock and know who is there.  What if Earl Thomas is there?  What if Anthony Davis is there?  What if Mike Iupati is there?  What if Joe Haden inexplicably falls to our pick?  Wouldn't you like the flexibility to say, I'll take Earl Thomas, thank you very much.  How many of you would be upset if we gave up our first round pick and then Earl Thomas did fall to 27?  What if we could get him for say a 2nd and 4th in  2011 instead of a first.  Even if Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin were equally productive, do you want to give up a 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th or a 3rd and a 4th?  Uhh, don't know about you, but I'd prefer the second deal.

What the Cowboys should be doing now is our due diligence on players they are interested in without tipping their hand.

I think if we do this perhaps we could be looking at

1. Best Free Safety Available:  Nate Allen or Earl Thomas

2. traded for Jared Gaither

3.  Alex Carrington, DE, Arkansas State or Tony Washington, OT, Abilene Christian

4.  Marcus Easely, WR, UConn  (quincyyyy's guy)

6.  Clifton Geathers, DE, South Carolina (he may not last this long)

7.  Walter McFadden, CB, Auburn

Also, I'd like to quickly address what may happen with some of our RFA's

First, of all, I'm getting the vibe, that Marcus Spears, will be traded.  Perhaps not,  but I think that Jerry might see Spears as a maxed out player and perhaps a progress stopper for Bowen, Hatcher, and Dixon, and will look to get what he can, perhaps a trade with the Dolphins (Parcells likes his own guys).  Plus, Spears will be cheap for the team he goes to, and they can play a wait see approach with whether or not to offer him a long term deal.  

Second, I think there's a strong possibility that Hamlin gets cut, or Sensabaugh is traded/signed away.  I think Jerry likes Mike Hamlin and Alan Ball, and I think they'll add another safety early in the draft.

Third, I think that one of the Adams/Columbo/McQuistan trio will not be on the team come the 2010 nfl season with the early front runners being Adams and McQuistan.

What do you all think?